Phase structure, processability, and mechanical properties of Rodrun liquid crystalline 5000/Rodrun liquid crystalline 3000 blends

New Liquid crystalline materials with low processing temperature, whilst maintaining the mechanical properties characteristic of the liquid crystalline polymers, were sought by blending Rodrun 5000 and Rodrun 3000. After direct injection moulding, the solid blends appeared as miscible. The crystallization from the melt was hindered by the presence of the other component, but the minimum processing temperature of Rodrun 5000 clearly decreased as a consequence of the presence of Rodrun 3000. This decrease was not at the cost of a decrease in the overall mechanical properties. It should be noted that, unlike in thermoplastics blends, in liquid crystal polymer (LCP) blends the miscibility level influences the modulus values. Immiscibility leads to clear positive synergisms in the values of the modulus of elasticity and also in the tensile strength, that are not seen in miscible LCP blends.